South Carolina State Signs 29 Prospects

ORANGEBURG, South Carolina  -- South Carolina State, Wednesday, announced the signing of twenty-nine (29) football prospects to national letters. Sixteen (16) of the signees are from South Carolina, seven are from North Carolina, three from Georgia, two from Florida and one from Maryland.

Among the Palmetto State prospects are four Shrine Bowl participants – WR Daquan Benjamin of Hartsville, OL Shaquille Crouch of Johnsonville, QB Marquane Goodman of Florence and a Rivals.com 2-Star pick, and DL Paul McKiever of Batesburg-Leesville. The group also includes five North-South All-Star performers – DL Wendell Bing of Columbia, LB Johnell Brown of St. Stephen, ATH Tra'Quan Dubose of Darlington, DB Kendric Gathers of Columbia, and DL Tyrell Goodman of Columbia.

Other top prospects include Shrine Bowl performer Jalen Cousar, DL of Matthews, NC; ATH Khaliq Anthony of Norway, SC; RB Bishop Ford of Huntersville, NC; DL Jamentre' Blair of Winston-Salem, NC, and WRs Kanyon Tuttle of Charlotte and Kanome McIntosh of Conyers, GA.

SC State head coach Buddy Pough, who is looking to replace 20 seniors, expressed his excitement at the latest Bulldog signing class and noted that his team addressed vital needs, including at quarterback, where the team has only one scholarship player returning at the position. The Bulldogs were also looking at help at wide receiver along both the defensive and offensive line.

"We think we have assembled a really good group of talented young men in our 2015 class," Pough said. "I applaud our coaches who did a fantastic job of pulling this class together. It was a total team effort and I think we did a nice job in addressing our needs. We are always emphasizing in-state kids and we got quite a bit of South Carolina prospects.

"It's (2015 Class) one of our largest signing classes (during my tenure) and now we just hope that they can come in a play. We went heavy on quarterbacks, landed a couple of speed guys at wide receiver and some solid linemen on both sides of the football."

SC State signed four signal callers. Quarterbacks joining Goodman in the 2013 class include Dewann Ford of Stephenson, GA who accounted for 1,638 passing yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior; David Pindell of Columbia, MD, who passed for 2,447 yards and 23 TDs and rushed for 924 yards and 21 scores his senior campaign; and Caleb York of Charlotte, NC, who had 2,105 passing yards and 20 touchdowns and 704 rushing yards and nine six-pointers.

Six defensive linemen, five offensive linemen and two wide receivers also are among the Bulldog signees. Click to see the entire list: 2015 Bulldog Signees


South Carolina State Football 2015 Signees

Khaliq Anthony ATH 6’0 182 Hunter-Kinard-Tyler HS Norway, SC
 2014 The High School Sports Report A Division II Offensive Player of the Year
 2014 Region 4-A Player of the Year
 2013 Region 4-A Back of the Year
 2013 & 2014 All-State Selection
 2013 & 2014 Class A State Championships
 Accounted for over 4,000 career passing yards
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach Dann Holland

Daquan Benjamin WR 6’2 175 Hartsville HS Hartsville, SC
 2014 North Carolina vs South Carolina Shrine Bowl selection
 2014 WPDE All-Zone Team selection
 Senior year recorded 46 receptions for 883 yards & 7 touchdowns
 Played for Coach Jeff Calabrese

Wendell Bing DL 6’2 250 C A Johnson HS Columbia, SC
 2014 South Carolina Football Coaches Association A Upper State Lineman of the Year
 2014 South Carolina North South All-Star Game selection
 2014 The State’s All Midlands Team selection
 Senior year accounted for 126 tackles & 22 sacks
 Played for Coach Jerry Jackson

Jementre’ Blair DL 6’1 225 Mount Tabor HS Winston-Salem, NC
 3-Time All-Central Piedmont Conference selection
 Senior year accounted for 87 tackles, 16 sacks, & 23 tackles for loss
 Played for Coach Raymond Marshall

Deandre Brown OL 6’6 280 Wharton HS Tampa, FL
 8th ranked exterior offensive lineman by Big County Preps
 Played for Coach David Mitchell

Johnell Brown LB 6’2 180 Timberland HS St. Stephen, SC
 2014 South Carolina North South All-Star Game selection
 2014 The High School Sports Report Statewide Defensive Player of the Year
 2014 The Berkeley Independent Berkeley County Defensive Player of the Year
 2014 The Post & Courier All-LowCountry selection
 2014 Class AA State Championship
 Senior year accounted for 130 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, & 14 sacks
 Played for Coach Art Craig

Darren Butler OL 6’4 250 Creek Bridge HS Gresham, SC
 2014 The High School Sports Report AA All-State selection
 2014 WPDE All-Zone Team selection
 2014 WBTW All-Blitz Team selection
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach James Breland

Jalen Cousar DL 5’11 315 Butler HS Matthews, NC
 2014 Team Captain for North Carolina vs South Carolina Shrine Bowl selection
 2014 The South Charlotte Sports Report Defensive Lineman of the Year
 3-Time Charlotte Observer Charlotte-Mecklenburg School All-Conference selection
 3-Time Charlotte Observer All-Observer Team selection
 3-Time Southwestern 4AA All-Conference selection
 Senior year recorded 95 total tackles, 8 sacks, 19 tackles for loss
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by 247Sports.com
 Played for Coach Brian Hales

Shaquille Crouch OL 6’5 335 Johnsonville HS Johnsonville, SC
 2014 South Carolina vs North Carolina Shrine Bowl selection
 2014 The High School Sports Report AA All-State selection
 2014 WPDE All-Zone Team selection
 2014 WBTW All-Blitz Team selection
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by 247Sports.com
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach Lewis Lineburger

Sam Dervil OL 6’5 270 Miami Northwestern HS Miami, FL
 Selected to the 2014 Miami Dolphins All Star Game; Broward County vs Dade County
 2014 Florida All Dade County selection
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by Rivals.com
 Played for Coach Eddie Brown

Tra’Quan Dubose ATH 5’10 170 Darlington HS Darlington, SC
 2014 South Carolina North South All-Star Game selection
 2014 WPDE All-Zone Team selection
 Senior year accounted for 36 catches for 460 yards & 5 touchdowns
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach William Lampkin

Bishop Ford RB 5’7 165 Hough HS Huntersville, NC
 2014 The South Charlotte Sports Report Running Back of the Year
 2014 The Herald Weekly Player of the Year
 2014 Charlotte Observer All-Observer Team selection
 2014 Charlotte Observer Charlotte-Mecklenburg School All-Conference selection
 Senior year rushed for 2,252 yards and 28 touchdowns
 Accounted for 4,254 career rushing yards & 45 touchdowns
 Holds the school record for single season rushing yards & touchdowns
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by Rivals.com
 Played for Coach Miles Aldridge

Dewann Ford QB 6’2 180 Stephenson HS Stephenson, GA
 2014 Region 6-AAAAA Division A All-Region selection
 Senior year accounted for 1,638 yards passing & 18 touchdowns
 recorded 3,041 career passing yards & 34 touchdowns
 Played for Coach Ron Gartrell

Bonte Freeman LB 6’0 200 Ardrey Kell HS Charlotte, NC
 2014 Charlotte Observer Charlotte-Mecklenburg School All-Conference selection
 Senior year accounted for 69 total tackles also rushed for 1,830 yards & 23 touchdowns
 Played for Coach Adam Hastings

Kendric Gathers DB 5’10 195 Keenan HS Columbia, SC
 2014 South Carolina North South All-Star Game selection
 2014 The State’s All Midlands Team selection
 2014 The High School Sports Report Troy Brown Award recipient
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach Quin McCollum

Marquane Goodman QB 6’1 200 West Florence HS Florence, SC
 2014 South Carolina vs North Carolina Shrine Bowl selection
 2014 The High School Sports Report AAAA All-State selection
 3-Time WPDE All-Zone selection
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by Rivals.com
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by 247Sports.com
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach Trey Woodberry

Tyrell Goodwin DL 5’11 275 A C Flora HS Columbia, SC
 2014 South Carolina North South All-Star Game selection
 2014 The State’s All Midlands Team selection
 2014 The High School Sports Report AAA All-State selection
 Senior year recorded 98 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, & 14 sacks
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach Reggie Shaw

Bruce Johnson DL 6’1 200 Emerald HS Greenwood, SC
 2014 Emerald HS Defensive Player of the Year
 2-Time Index-Journal All-Lakelands Team selection
 2-Time 2-AAA All-Region selection
 Senior year recorded 114 tackles, 25 tackles for loss, & 5 sacks
 Played for Coach Tim MacMahon

Kanome McIntosh WR 6’3 180 Salem HS Conyers, GA
 2014 The News Rockdale County All-Area Team selection
 2014 8-AAAAA All-Region selection
 Senior year recorded 72 catches for 1,119 yards & 11 touchdowns
 Played for Coach John Starr

Paul McKiever DL 6’3 285 Batesburg-Leesville HS Batesburg-Leesville, SC
 2014 South Carolina Football Coaches Association AA Upper State Lineman of the Year
 2014 South Carolina vs North Carolina Shrine Bowl selection
 2014 The State’s All Midlands Team selection
 2014 The High School Sports Report AA All-State selection
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by Rivals.com
 The High School Sports Report Top 100 Prospects
 Played for Coach Perry Woolbright

Malik Mickle OL 6’1 260 Fairfield Central HS Blair, SC
 3-Time 3-AA All-Region selection
 3 year starter, 2-Time AA Upper State Championship
 Played for Coach Demetrius Davis

Chris Parrott DB 5’10 180 Dutch Fork HS Irmo, SC
 Senior year accounted for 26 tackles, 4 pass break-ups, 2 interceptions
 2013 Class AAA Division I State Championship
 Played for Coach Tom Knotts

David Pindell QB 6’0 190 Oakland Mills HS Columbia, MD
 2014 The Baltimore Sun Offensive Player of the Year
 2014 Baltimore vs Washington DC Crab Bowl All-Star Game selection
 Senior year passed for 2,447 yards, 23 touchdowns; rushed for 924 yards & 21 touchdowns
 Accounted for 4,630 career passing yards, 39 touchdowns & 1,587 rushing yards &30 touchdowns
 Played for Coach Thomas Browne

Kanyon Tuttle WR 6’0 175 Charlotte Latin School Charlotte, NC
 2014 NCISAA All-State selection
 2014 NCISAA 3A All-Conference selection
 Senior year accounted for 39 receptions for 880 yards & 12 touchdowns
 67 career receptions, 1,310 yards, & 18 touchdowns
 2013 & 2014 State Championship Track Team in 4x1 & 4x2
 Played for Coach Larry McNulty

Terrell Vaughn LB 5’11 260 Westwood HS Ridgeway, SC
 2014 The State’s All Midlands Team selection
 2-Time 4-AAAA All-Region selection
 Recorded 240 career tackles & 20 sacks
 Played for Coach Rodney Summers

Jalen Wade LB 6’2 200 Lincoln County HS Lincolnton, GA
 Selected to the 2014 CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) All Star Bowl Game
 Selected to the 2014 Georgia vs South Carolina Border Bowl
 2013 & 2014 All-CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) selection
 Played for Coach Kevin Banks

Devion Williams DB 5’10 170 South Pointe HS Rock Hill, SC
 2-Time All-Region 3-AAA 1st Team selection
 2-Time The Rock Hill Herald All-Area Team selection
 Senior year recorded 48 tackles & 6 interceptions
 Accounted for 12 career interceptions
 2011 & 2014 AAA State Championships
 Played for Coach Strait Herron

Caleb York QB 6’1 210 Providence HS Charlotte, NC
 2013 & 2014 Charlotte Observer Charlotte-Mecklenburg School All-Conference selection
 7-Time Charlotte Observer Player of the Week
 Senior year passed for 2,105 yards & 20 touchdowns; ran for 704 yards & 9 touchdowns
 Accounted for 3,888 career passing yards, 38 touchdowns & 1,474 rushing yards &17 touchdowns
 Played for Coach Justin Hardin

Christian Young LB 6’1 220 Hough HS Cornelius, NC
 2014 South Charlotte Sports Report Linebacker of the Year
 2014 Charlotte Observer Charlotte-Mecklenburg School All-Conference selection
 Senior year accounted for 93 tackles; 278 career tackles
 Rated a 2-Star athlete by Rivals.com
 Played for Coach Miles Aldridge

COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION